Improvement in door-springs



UNITED Solteras .'Par ENT r1arE-.1\

WRIGHT DURYEA, OF GLEN OOvR, NEW YORK. l

IMPROVEMENT IN Doon-seniNes.l

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 80,93l, dated August1l, lS..`

To all lwhom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WRIGHT DURYEA, of Glen Cove, in the county of Queensand State of New York, have invented a newA and usefu1 Improvement inSelfClosing Hinges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanylng drawing, formingpart of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents anelevation of a door, 1n part, with j amb broken away, together with myimproved hinge applied thereto; and Fig. 2, a transverse section of doorand jamb, with hinge attached, the upper portion of the box part of thehinge being removed, or partly so.

Similar letters of reference denote like or corresponding parts.

Numerous attempts have been made to construct self-closing hinges that,while free and permanent in their action, should not present anunsightly appearance; but such it has heretofore been found impossibleto secure, one of the greatest objections, in fact, to self-closinghinges, as in general or most common use at present, being the bulkinessof the hinge at the joint, for the purpose of accommodating within itthe usual spring, that is of a spiral character. This prominence orprotuberant form given the joint makes the hinge so unsightly as torender it unsuitable for general indoor purposes. My invention removesthis objection, and possesses other advantages, including an increasedfacility foradjusting the tension of the spring, as wear or othercircumstances require.

In this my improvement the spring though arranged to lie within thejamb, and in no direct connection with the joint, is, together withcertain operating-gear, made to form part of the hinge proper; and myinvention further consists in a combination, with the hinge, of a drum,spindle, spring, chain Or band, wormwheel, and screen, the latter beingadjustable from the exterior to regulate the tension of the spring;also, said invention includes a swinging crane, arranged as a loose orfree attachment to the hinge, for operation by the chain and door, togive a more effective angle for the pull of the chain on the door.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents a door in part;B,itsj amb; C C', the two leaves of a hinge applied thereto, and D thejoint of the hinge.

The jamb-leaf C of the hingefhas cast on]` fit a recess, F, made in thejamb. This bracket j or frame serves to carry a vertical spindle, G, andto contain gear connected therewith, the same consisting of a drum orcurved swell, H, made fast to the spindle, or so as to form part of it,worm-wheel I, loose on the latter, together with a coiled spring, J,fast at its one end thereto, and secured at its other end to theworm-wheel, and endless screw or spirally-threaded spindle K in gearwith the wormwheel I.

A chain or band, L, answers to connect the door or leaf G of the hingewith the drum H, said chain, which winds on and unwinds from the drum asthe door is opened and closed, passing freely through an aperture in theleaf O and through a crane or independent swing ing attachment, M, hungon the hin ge-joint.

The spring J may, if desired, be arranged within the drum H, or othersuitable shell, and still a like connection of the spindle andworm-wheel be established, and numerous other changes or modificationsbe made, including the substitution of mechanical equivalents for thegear herein described, without departing from the principle of myinvention.

It will suffice here, however, to explain the operation of the hingeconstructed as represented in the drawing, in which the spring Joperates to close and keep shut the door by or through the action of thedrum H and chain or band L, the worm-wheel I and screw K operating as afulcrum or rest to the spring, also serving to effect the tension oradjust ment of the latter from time to time, as required, by simplyturning, through :a screwdriver applied to a nick on or in its outerend, the screw K, and which may be done without uncovering ordisconnecting parts, but only sufficiently opening t-he door to get atthe head of the screw.

When the door is closed the crane M lies shut in recesses s s made inthe leaves C C of the hinge, and, by reason of the free run of the bandor chain L through it, remains thus embedded during the early portion ofthe opening of the door; but as the door is farther Opened a shoulder,z, or enlarged portion of said chain or band, catches against the backof the crane, swinging the latter outward, as

partially represented in the drawing, and which serves to give a moreeffective angle to or direction in run of the chain for the action ofthe latter in pulling to the door during the early period of itsclosing, while said crane forms no obstruction to the door when closed,and, being freely hung, is readily shut by the door in closing.

The hinge proper, it will be perceived7 is rather strengthened thanweakened by the closing additions to it or frame carrying them.

The same, too, presents no unsightly appearance, thereby makin g aself-closing hinge, constructed as described, applicable both for in andont door purposes, and which is durable, not liable to get outof repair,also readily adjustable as regards the tension of its spring.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1.- 'lhe combination, with the hinge proper,` of the drum H, chain orband L, spindle Gr, spring J, worm-wheel I, and screw K, for operatingtogether, essentially as herein set forth.

2. The arrangement, substantially as described, of the screw Krelatively to the working mechanism of the hinge, and whereby thetension of the spring may be adjusted from the exterior of the jamb, asspecified.

3. In combination with a self-closing hinge, the swinging crane M,arranged for operation by the chain and door, as described, and serv ingto give a more effective angle for the pull of the chain on the door, asherein set forth.

WRIGHT DURYEA.

Witnesses:

J. W; GooMBs, A. LE CLERC.

